użytkownicy:

CALL FOR INTERNATIONAL MOBILIZATION AGAINST US MILITARY BASES IN CENTRAL EUROPE. NO TO ANTI-MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM!

The Campaign against Militarism, Poles for a Referendum, the Anarchist Federation and other groups are calling for a large-scale mobilization against the installation of missiles and the building of the US base in Poland. The action, called for March 29, can be seen as part of a larger anti-militarist struggle which is taking place throughout Europe, including the NATO Game Over action to be held in Brussels on March 22 and the anti-NATO Summit to take place in Bucharest at the beginning of April. Let's come together and show that we are not indifferent to the politics of militarism!

Over the past forty five years, the US has been developing various missile defense systems in its pursuit of global military domination. The basic idea is to combine satellite technology with the use of anti-ballistics missiles (ABMs)which would counter first strike missile attacks. The most famous of the US projects was SDI, Reagan's infamous "Star Wars" program. Its current incarnation, the US National Missile Defense Program, is being sold to the world as a necessary element in the "war against terror". The US claims that, in order to protect itself from missile attacks from such "rogue states" like Iran, it needs to install elements of its anti-missile defense system on bases in Europe. Most notably, it wants to build two bases in Central Europe, one in the Czech Republic to house radars, and another in Poland to house missiles with nuclear warheads.

Much of the negotiations are done in secret, despite demands of citizens and even some political parties to hold a public referendum
on the issue of US bases. The system is being heavily sold to the public but without providing reliable information. The US and its
cronies fail to address the fact that in tests of the system, first strike missiles and not always intercepted, meaning that the system
does not provide total safety. They fail to mention that the system is vulernable to other types of strikes, for example from the sea. They
talk about all the "rogue states" in the "axis of evil" that these missiles are supposed to be protecting people against but fail to
mention that the bases are really useless against missiles that might be shot from North Korea since the trajectory would be different.
(Since North Korea doesn't have long-range missiles anyway, it's a moot point.) It also does not address certain issues such as what
happens if a weapon with a nuclear warhead is shot down.

Critics of the missile bases have maintained that housing the bases may actually increase the likelihood of attack on the countries that
houses them as well as creating new geopolitical problems. It is often
noted that these missiles may be used for offensive, as well as defensive purposes. In the concrete case of Poland, the buildup of
missiles, including nuclear missiles, on the borders of Poland in Kaliningrad and Belarus are a direct result to the possible location
of the missiles in Poland. The location of these bases in Poland and the Czech Republic may signal the beginning of a whole new arms race.

The militarization of Europe, the new arms race, the imperative to develop new military technology serves the interests of the state and
the military industrial complex, but not normal people. Attacks and hostility between civilians are symptomatic of the sick policies of
states and profiteers. A long-term solution to such conflicts cannot be found by bombing people in submission, by military force and
intimidation.

The Campaign against Militarism, Poles for a Referendum, the Anarchist Federation and other groups are calling for a large-scale mobilization against the installation of missiles and the building of the US base in Poland. The action, called for March 29, can be seen as part of a larger anti-militarist struggle which is taking place throughout Europe, including the NATO Game Over action to be held in Brussels on March 22 and the anti-NATO Summit to take place in Bucharest at the beginning of April. Let's come together and show that we are not indifferent to the politics of militarism!

STOP THE SHIELD ACTION IN POLAND

The action in Poland will take place mainly in the city of Slupsk,
near the Baltic Sea Cost. They want to build the base in Redzikowo, 4
kms. from the city. We will go to this town for some direct actions
but also will do some things in Slupsk. To follow up, we would like to
hold some public and activist meetings in other, larger cities nearby
Slupsk, namely Szczecin and Gdansk.

A meeting for planning the actions will take place on Jan 19th in
Silesia, in the south of Poland. For people who would like to take
part in planning the actions, we invite you. Please write to us if you
would like to come and we can send you information on how to get
there. We suspect that some people may also want to continue planning
on the next day but this will depend on how many people can stay into
the afternoon.

Many details have not been set yet, but we suspect that there will be
room for people who want to take place in different types of
activities, for both those who want to engage in the direct actions
and those who want to limit their participation to other activities
such as meetings and a protest march.

CURRENT SITUATION WITH THE POLISH BASE AND CHANCE FOR SUCCESS

Currently, the situation with the Polish base in Redzikowo is up in
the air, which increases our chances of getting the message across.
There is still a chance that the base will not get built and a
determined opposition to it will only help those chances.

The former government(s) of Poland led by the SLD and then PiS were
determined to have the bases on Polish territory and to lead pro-US
policy but some people in the new government is not so certain. More
importantly, the tide is changing in the US. Democrats in the House of
Representatives voted to cut funds for building this base in Poland.
Without allocation of the funds, the base won't get built. As the main
proponents of such military investments have tended to be Bush, his
cabinet and cronies in the military industry, there are some chances
that the new government next year may reconsider this strategy. In any
case, during the election year when the Democrats (falsely) present
themselves as some less militaristic alternative, international voices
against the proposed bases are more likely to be heard as issues such
as these are on the political agenda and people are looking for a
change in US military policy.

YOU CAN SUPPORT THIS ACTION ALSO BY TRANSLATING THIS CALL AND/OR
SPREADING IT IN YOUR LOCAL NETWORKS.

SAY NO TO MILITARISM!
SUPPORT THE ANTI-MILITARIST ACTIONS IN EUROPE:
March 22, NATO Game over in Brussels
March 29-30 STOP THE SHIELD! Actions against the US Anti-Missile
Shield/ US Base in Poland
April 2 – 4 ANTI-NATO SUMMIT PROTESTS IN BUCHAREST

On March 29th 2008 Polish peace activists from the Campaign Against Militarism, a loose network of libertarian and environmental groups including Greenpeace and the Anarchist Federation, will stage a demonstration against the planned deployment of 10 US ground based anti-ballistic missile interceptors on Polish soil.

The action will take place in the city of Slupsk, Northern Poland and in the small town of Redzikowo nearby, which is host to the disused ex-Soviet military airbase and increasingly likely future location for US missiles, just 150 kilometres from Russian Federation borders.

Street theatre, a samba band, an open mike for discussions in public squares, food not bombs, film screenings on the missiles and on the topic of militarism are amongst the activities being organised. Long-time military resister, Ploughshares activist, peace prisoner and Catholic Worker Ciaron O'Reilly (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciaron_O'Reilly) from Australia will also attend the protest and address those present on global resistance to US militarism and nuclear weaponry. O'Reilly has served over 2 years in US, British, Australian and Irish jails for nonviolent resistance to militarism.

People who are interested in staging direct actions at the proposed US military base will engage in a 4 km peace walk from Slupsk to Redzikowo, risking confrontation with the police and/or military as they hunt for US weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). Discussions with local people, delivering leaflets and newspapers to local residents will take place simultaneously as those who walk to the base demand it remain out of the hands of warmongerers.

The base is completely insecure at the moment and protestors intend to highlight that it can neither
a) be secured from those who do not accept war profiteers lust for a renewed arms race and desire for WMDs
nor
b) is the violent and provocative means of these proposed missiles the appropriate way to secure peace for Polish people or Europeans at large.

Viable alternatives for the site, for instance, include the State using taxpayers money to invest in infrastructure to reopen the base as a local civilian airstrip. This is just one proposal viewed as being more likely to serve the local public interest. The area has long being neglected by successive governments, similar to the area of Trokavec in the Czech Republic, likely site for the related radar component of the system.

Investment in quality health, education, industrial employment training and provision is long overdue to meet the socio-economic needs of the local population and to prevent the negative effects of rural and small urban emigration. Therefore, locals remain highly sceptical about how a US base for WMDs built to oppose an alleged threat which their own government even admits doesn't currently exist will serve their needs.

Recent polls in Poland released by State television claim that 50% are against, 36% support while 14% are unsure. When compared to a poll conducted 12 months ago for the daily broadsheet Rzeczpospolita (Republic), those who support (moderately or strongly) the proposal has grown by 6%, those against has fallen by 1% while members of the public who remain unsure fell by 5% to 14%. Opinions are being crystallised, the government propaganda machine is on full steam ahead but the voices and arguments of the majority, those opposed, remain marginalised by the mainstream media.

The militarisation of Poland with U.S. support is in full swing through its efforts to host a NATO base (failing due to disagreements on costs), recent purchasing of 48 F-16's and C-130 cargo planes, and deployments of troops for the Iraq and Afghanistan invasions and ongoing occupations. Earlier this month the new Polish government reached an agreement in principle with the US administration for the provision of a bolstered air defence system in return for support of the shield, so the anti-missile defence system should be seen as just one component of Poland's ever-increasing lust for armaments and shoulder rubbing with the US empire.

As anti-militarism activists we reject government claims that this increase in weaponry will ensure Polish security and instead demand revenue be allocated to wages for striking public sector workers including nurses, doctors, teachers and miners. It is, afterall, the profits from our labour which they are blowing on destructive technology.

On March 15th, the Polish Stop the War Coalition will hold a march in Warsaw, descending upon parliament and the US embassy in protest against the planned US 'defense shield' and the ongoing participation of Polish troops in the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. A wide range of peace and leftist groups are expected to turn out.

We appeal to friends abroad to organise vigils, demos. outside US military bases, Polish/US embassies, or any other relevant site (e.g. Boeing, who are likely to win the full contract for the shield) on March 29th and/or to refer organisations you are involved with about the resistance taking place in Poland.

For more info. on the March 29th Polish action against the missile shield system, how to get there, etc. please contact tarcza@bzzz.net.